Red Haired Mate
by Jolliapplegirl
Summary: Yaoi. Ever since Sesshomaru met Ryuuichi, all hell has broken loose. The man never shuts up, he's constantly interfere with Sesshomaru's fights and he insists that a feminine man such as Sesshomaru shouldnt fight. Despite all this, Sesshomaru loves him.
1. Chapter 1

The day was bright and humid as Sesshomaru strolled through the forest with his companions, Rin, Jaken and Ahun. The day was no different than usual. Rin and Jaken held some meaningless conversation behind on the back of Ahun.

"So, Master Jaken," Rin started happily. "You wouldn't believe what I found yesterday. The most interesting thing ever."

"And what was that, Rin?" Jaken replied, standing on one of Ahun's heads.

"The most delicious fruit. It was pink and tasted so sweet and good." Rin sighed in rapture of the memory. Sesshomaru heard her lick her lips as she continued. "I found them on a tree on a cliff. I would have brought more with me, but the rest were so high up, I could get them."

"You should be careful, Rin." The little green goblin scolded. "Lord Sesshomaru didn't revive you so you could risk you life for some fruit. It could be dangerous. Don't do it again. "

"He is right, Rin." Sesshomaru said never turning his back. "Don't do it again."

"I'm sorry, my lord." Rin sobered slightly.

Sesshomaru remained silent afterward. He thought nothing of the fruit that Rin risked her life for. The steps the group took were the only thing they heard. There were a few sounds off into the distance.

They reached a vast clearing; the wind blew Sesshomaru's white hair this way and that. The grass was green and sprinkled with tiny flowers, the sky was clear, the birds sang and air held the scent of spring. Most would sit and admire the beautiful sights but Sesshomaru could care less. One day this field will be gone and replaced with something ugly. He thought with a little remorse. Ever since he'd saved the human child, Rin, Sesshomaru's heart had started to melt somewhat toward such short lived things.

As any other day, Rin ran off into the forest with Ahun for food while Sesshomaru rested in the shade. The breeze swept through the grass and silence came for only a second.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin cried from a mile away. Sesshomaru was off in a dash. No thoughts ran through his mind except 'save Rin'. As he drew near, Rin's face came into view. Running to Rin's side, he scanned the area for anything that could have made her scream. After a quick but thorough search, Sesshomaru looked down at his young ward.

"I found this man lying here and I got scared." Rin sobbed, burying her face into Sesshomaru's Sashinuki Hakama.

"Where is this man you saw, Rin?" Sesshomaru asked, once again scanning the area. He couldn't sense anyone nearby so who could she be talking about, Sesshomaru wondered.

"What do you mean, my lord?" Rin said curiously. She pointed down into the bushes. "The man I spoke of is lying right there in front of you."

Under the cover of leaves and branches, Sesshomaru saw a man lying there. Dead still. He must have been dead, since he could hear no heart beat. But if that wasn't disconcerning enough, the fact that hadn't seen, smelled or sensed his presence at all infuriated him. How could he not sense him even now as he sat next to the body? Sesshomaru turned the man over.

His hair was short and blood red with streaks of black and white. His face was covered in dirt and blood. The man wore clothing similar to Sesshomaru's younger half brother, Inuyasha, except the Hakama this man wore was black and white. Red bangs covered the forehead of this man but it didn't hide the sun mark on his forehead. It was located in the same place as Sesshomaru's moon mark. Even though the man was clearly dead, Sesshomaru couldn't help but find the man Attractive. It was both disgusting and fascinating.

With a scoff of disgust, Sesshomaru got up and turned to Rin. "We're leaving." Was all he said as he proceeded to walk away from the dead corpse? Except he didn't get far. A hand grabbed his ankle and pulled. The strange thing about it was not only was it the 'dead' corpse pulling on his leg but the man was actually pulling him back. Looking down, Sesshomaru saw the man looking up at him.

Gray eyes looked up at him at first the man looked fierce like he'd been woken up from a deep sleep was furious about. The rage in those gray depths, even made Sesshomaru cringe but only for a second. Anger at himself made him scold himself silently and glare down at the man holding his ankle.

"Let go of me." He commanded, prepared to attack the foolish man. Most people followed Sesshomaru's orders immediately after he said it. Or if they refused, he killed them. All feared him and he'd grown used to that. This man, however, was not only unafraid but he looked amused. He started laughing for havens sake!

"Chillax, beautiful. I don't bite. Much." The man said with an easy smile. "It's nice to meet you."


	2. Chapter 2

"What did you say?" Sesshomaru demanded in a dignified but pissed off kind of tone. Surely this man, demon (Sesshomaru couldn't tell what the man was.) wasn't speaking to him in such a manner. Like he was some common wench instead of a grand prince.

"I was saying, it's nice to meet you, cutie." The man said with no shame. Still holding Sesshomaru's ankle, the red haired man sat up and looked up at the white haired demon. "My name is Ryuuichi. You don't need to know where I'm from or what I am." In a quick motion, Ryuuichi grabbed Sesshomaru's hand and pulled him to the man's face.

For a moment, only for a moment, Sesshomaru was in shock. Never had he seen anyone, demon or otherwise, move so fast. But anger won over his awe. Posing to strike, Sesshomaru said. "I will not have some stranger tell me what I do and do not need to know." A whip of green emerged from his finger tips and aimed straight for the man. The whip hit the ground. Dust and rubble littered the area. Sesshomaru would have used his sword but at such close contact, it could have missed. Especially since the demon, Ryuuichi, was fast.

Sure that the job was done, Sesshomaru's turned to call Rin and return to their spot. Only, when he turned around, it was to find large grey eyes staring at him. Sesshomaru tried to move back but Ryuuichi grabbed hold of his hair and pulled him toward him. Sesshomaru tried to stab him in the gut with his arm but he grabbed, Sesshomaru's wrist pinned it to a tree behind him.

Sesshomaru was stuck. His only arm was pinned and his strength was clearly less than this red haired man. Mortification and rage swirled inside of the usually dignified demon. How had it come to this? He wondered. That he would be defeated and mocked in such a way by some unknown creature who insisted on calling him 'Cutie."

Sesshomaru growled at the man and tried to fight his way out of the grip. It proved to be useless and that anger him more. Ryuuichi just smiled and watched him rage. After a minute of anger, Sesshomaru calmed down. The slashed on both of his cheeks were still ragged but his eyes had ceased to be red.

"Release me now." Sesshomaru Ordered. The calm was real and Sesshomaru refused to let the man anger him again. It was a disgrace that he was reduced to acting like his idiotic half brother. Wild with rage and no common sense. Once Ryuuichi let him go and turned his back, Sesshomaru would strike.

Ryuuichi pouted. "AW. You looked so cute just now. All mad and puffy." The red head whined. Sesshomaru grit his teeth and glared. At that, Ryuuichi smiled. "There it is. The cute face I love. Oh, I love those intense gold of yours." Ryuuichi's went from carefree to seductive in seconds. "I wonder how you would look with misty eyes and a flush to your face."

Sesshomaru flinched. Ryuuichi was now using his free hand, which he had freed from his hair a second before, to trace the line of Sesshomaru's jaw and down his neck. "Would you turn wanton and beg me to finish what I started? Or maybe you'd try to stay dignified and turn away, blushing like a virgin." Heat, starting from the places Ryuuichi's hands traced, started to spread throughout Sesshomaru's body. He couldn't stop himself from staring into the grey depths of Ryuuichi's eyes. Obviously knowing his effect on the white haired man, Ryuuichi leaned closer and whispered in Sesshomaru's ears. "I can tell your hot now. You must not get any loving nor at least very little, am I right."Sesshomaru couldn't respond. The feeling of Ryuuichi's hot breath tickling his ear turned his mind to mush. This either pissed Ryuuichi off or made him very happy. Either way, the end result was the same. Softly biting Sesshomaru's ear, He repeated the question. Slowly, Sesshomaru nodded. He didn't know why he was being so compliant but if it meant that Ryuuichi would continue to caress Sesshomaru's neck and torso, he'd continue to act like a bitch in heat.

"Now that you're all soft and cute in my arms, I should ask you what I need to know," He explained licking the curve of Sesshomaru's pointed ear. With every swipe of his tongue, the demon prince let out a soft cry. His ears were so sensitive, Ryuuichi thought with a smile. Out loud, he continued. "But I kinda want to take advantage of your vulnerability. I want to admire this face and body." Ryuuichi let go of Sesshomaru's wrist but he was too aroused to strike the man. He could have melted at that very moment but Ryuuichi's leg held him up. The feeling of Ryuuichi's thigh against his hard erection was almost too much.

Rubbing against the man's thigh, Sesshomaru draped his arm around Ryuuichi. The red haired demon wrapped his arms around Sesshomaru. One hand held his head close to his while his other hand held Sesshomaru's ass firmly. Sesshomaru was panting as he came close to coming. Ryuuichi, he could tell, was close too. They would have both came but a small voice killed the moment.

"Lord Sesshomaru?" Rin called from a couple feet away. "Where are you my lord!" Without any thought, Sesshomaru attacked Ryuuichi but missed. He was briefly angered about missing yet again. But soon, embarrassment slid into its place. Falling to the ground, Sesshomaru examined his body. His robe was slightly open and wrinkled. Sesshomaru was a mess.

"My lord, are you alright?" Rin said when she drew near. "When I saw the man grab you, I got scared and ran away. Then I got worried when you didn't come back and I came back to look for you." Sesshomaru said nothing. She was obviously concerned and that touched Sesshomaru's heart. He would never admit it out loud but he had come to love this young child who looked at him with such trusting eyes.

"Do not worry, Rin." He reassured as he stood. He straightened his clothes out and shivered at the sensitive feeling on his skin. He shook it off. "You shouldn't have come back." Did he want Ryuuichi to continue with his caresses? "IT dangerous and I do not want you to get hurt." He told her and himself. There was no way he could desire anymore of that mans touches.

"But, my lord, your face is all red." Rin inquired. Sesshomaru resisted the urge to cover his face. Why was he acting like this? Like some virgin who had never touched another sexually. Turning away, Sesshomaru started to walk away from the place he had met the strange demon called Ryuuichi. Rin followed, quietly wondering about the series of expressions on her lord's face. Anger, sadness then anger again. She chose not to ask and just followed.

I a tree a couple miles away, Ryuuichi watched the duo walk away. How cute my little Sesshomaru is. He thought. My Sesshomaru. He liked the way it sounded. Just like he liked the look on the serious man's face when Ryuuichi kissed his ear and let out his little moans.

"This isn't over, my lord Sesshomaru." Ryuuichi swore with a possessive glint in his eye. "Next time we meet, I won't be interrupted. You'll be mine and I promise we'll both enjoy it."


	3. Chapter 3

For about a week, Ryuuichi never showed up. After their last meeting, Sesshomaru was glad to be rid of the offensive oaf. Although, he was mad at the man for humiliating him, Sesshomaru noticed that he felt a bit upset that the man had left so quickly. After all that he had done and said one would think he would return soon. As soon as the thought came, Sesshomaru immediately shook it off. I don't miss that man in the least, he thought, stomping down the dirt road followed by his companions. Rage boiled inside the white haired demon. Not because he missed the flirtatious thing (Sesshomaru still had no clue what the man was) and was mad that he hadn't returned like he said, but because the man had refused to come so Sesshomaru could sufficiently kill him.

Sesshomaru exited the dirt path to find himself on yet another path circling the forest. He was about to turn left when a familiar scent blew passed his nose followed but a loud shout.

"Sesshomaru!" He heard behind him. He didn't even have to turn around to know who it was. It was Inuyasha, Sesshomaru's idiotic, half demon brother. Sesshomaru actually sighed in annoyance before he turned toward the youth and his companions. As usual, Inuasha already drew his sword, prepared to attack. His little priestess spoke in shock terms, wondering why they had met so randomly like no one could hear her. Sesshomaru doubted that she even expected an answer.

"Oh my gosh, it's Sesshomaru!" The priestess called Kagome whispered rather loudly. Sesshomaru would never say so out loud but he had contemplated slapping the woman on several occasions. Ever since they had met for the first time on that dark full moon night, the insisted on yelling at him (mostly telling him to stop fighting) and narrating the events taking place in front of her with her companions. If he ever got the chance, Sesshomaru silently promised, he would definitely kill the woman. Just to shut her up.

"What are you doing her, Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha demanded, taking a step closer. Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow at the group and said nothing. Here he was, minding his own business and his brother has a fit because he was walking?

"It is none of your concern, half breed." Jaken yelled from behind him. He knew that the little imp was only speaking to defend him but why he felt he needed protections was a mystery. Just then a gust of wind blew and carried the smell of blood. No it wasn't from the wind, it was on his clothes. Sesshomaru lifted his arm to his face and sniffed. He was sure. The smell of blood had clung from the wind to his clothes. From the look on his little brother's face, some people had died and it was obviously Sesshomaru's fault.

"I know you're the one who destroyed that village, Sesshomaru!" The silvered hair half demon accused. Despite the fact the he had proven countless times that he cared little for humans (ignoring the times he save lives with his tenseiga), Inuyasha insisted on blaming him for any and everything that could go wrong. Sesshomaur was not in the mood to fight with the bull headed youth so he turned his back on the youth.

At the sheer lack of respect, Inuyasha growled and attacked. What a shocker. Sesshomaru dodged quickly. He could have attacked from behind but that wasnt his way. At least not today.

"You are a fool, Inuyasha." He said calmly. The first words he spoke today were an insult to his brother. Sesshomaru was sure whether to be happy to have pissed inuyasha off or disappointed that his first words were to his less that likable brother.

"Shut up!" Inuyasha shouted, swinging his sword to emphasized his rage

"You're not denying that you killed those humans. " To anyone else, that would have been a great point but Sesshomaru didn't have to explain anything to this idiot. Inuyasha should know by now that he would never dirty his hands with human blood but if the kid wanted a scapegoat why not beat the sense into him? Fighting the mongrel was a great stress reliever.

As the two brothers began to fight, the two groups of companions watched from the road.

"Is he sure it was Sesshomaru that did this?" Sango, the demon slayer, asked. She turned to Miroku, her fiancée. "I mean, Seeshomaru isn't the kind of guy to attack humans. Not unless they attacked him. He doesn't care enough to just slaughter them for no reason."

"That's a good point" Miroku said holding his chin in his hand. "But both Shippo and Inuyasha smelled the blood on Sesshomaru clothes, though I can see none now."

"He could have washed his clothes!" Shippo, the young fox demon (Kitsune) interjected. He leaped from Kagome's shoulder to Miroku's. "The scent is faint, like it was old but its there."

"Old?" Miroku asked.

"Yeah, it's layered under some other scents but its definitely blood." Shippo said.

Miroku ran the scenario out in his head. The six of them had discovered the slaughtered village this morning and had found that the villagers had been dead for at least a day. Though it was possible that Sesshomaru had killed them, in all the time he had known the man (which wasn't much), Sesshomaru had never cared to hide his killings. He never cleaned the scent off or anything like that. The only problem was the fact that the villagers were definitely killed by a demon and Sesshomaru was the only one they had sensed in the area so who else could they accuse?

A chill blew through Miroku. Both physically and spiritually, he shivered. Looking behind him, all he saw was a flash of black and white. The blur ran past the group into the clearing that the two brothers were still fighting in.

Inuyasha was getting beat into the ground. Sesshomaru was fine, calm and willing to fight. The only problem was the sound of a man.

"Hey, Cutie!" Sesshomaru cringed at the sound of that voice. Inuyasha turned his head to the sound only to find a bare foot slammed into his face. He went flying through the air and into the ground. Pain came and went as he got up from the ground.

What the hell had just happened? He thought.


	4. Chapter 4

Sesshomaru jumped back as the red haired man turned to him with a lecherous smile. He knew if he stayed, the man would catch him, hold him down and… Sesshomaru refused to think about what would happen, even as his heart started to bit faster. He turned intending to run and, hopefully, not be caught. Unfortunately, Ryuuichi blocked his escape at every turn. Sesshomaru tried to attack but he just dodged it like it was nothing.

"Don't run from me, my little Sesshomaru." Ryuuichi cooed in Sesshomaru's ear when he tried to move back. "I won't bite. Much!" Sesshomaru tried to back hand him but his wrist was caught.

"Let me go, Ryuuichi!" Sesshomaru commanded. How he had learned his name was not normal. For some reason he'd had several dream about the man whispering in his ear but every time he opened his eyes, he was alone. Now that he thought about more, the conclusion was probably bad.

"Aw, how cute." The red haired man said with an adoring smile. "You remembered my name. And the way you said it just now?" The wrapped his arms around himself and leered at Sesshomaru. "It makes me want to just eat you up."

Sesshomaru, the fearsome prince, shuddered. Not because of desire but because of an unfamiliar feeling. Fear. This man could and probably would eat him. And not in the sexual way.

Ryuuichi smiled, like a lion watching its prey. "I see you can tell what I mean. I don't like my prey running from me." He said, walking toward the frozen demon before him. When he got to his ear, he whispered. "If you keep trying to run form me… I will tear your legs off." Sesshomaru cringed. Ryuuichi smile came back like a sudden wind. "Actually, if I tear your legs off, I won't get to see you wave that ass of yours in my direction, will I?" He teased.

Inuyasha took a surprising action and swung his sword at Ryuuichi. Not only was the onlookers and Sesshomaru surprised but Inuyasha himself wondered what he was doing. When he spotted his brother on the way to look for the demon that killed those humans before, he thought that since the scent of death was on him, he had assumed that Sesshomaru had been the one to kill them. Even though Sesshomaru wasn't the kind of guy to kill for the hell of it, he was still their only suspect.

Now's there this new guy who not only smelled of death and blood but was able to sneak up on all of them without trying. The red haired man was now glaring at Inuyasha.

"I don't know what is going on between you and this guy, Sesshomaru, but if you're not strong enough to fight him, you should stay out of the way." Inuyasha growled behind him where his older brother still stood a little less stiff.

"Don't presume to think I can't fight my own battles, Inuyasha." Sesshomaru replied, sounding a mite bit pissed. That only made this conversation enjoyable.

Inuyasha still held his sword toward Ryuuichi as he spoke. "I saw you running away from this guy. Is he so strong that you, the great and mighty Sesshomaru," He said with deep sarcasm." Can't beat him? Is he that strong?"

"Much stronger than anyone I have ever fought." Sesshomaru said on a whisper. Inuyasha was only teasing but the seriousness in his brother voice told him that fight Ryuuichi was not going to be easy.

"Hey!" Ryuuichi shout from a distance. If he looked mad before, now he looked furious now. "Who the hell are you?" How dare some half demon talk to his Sesshomaru? Every inch of Sesshomaru was Ryuuichi's and he refused to let even a lowly half demon talk to him.

"It none of your damn business!" Inuyasha shouted back. His hand clenched around the handle of his Tetsuiga. For some reason, he felt threatened.

"If my Sesshomaru is involved, then of course it's my business. He's mine" Ryuuichi claimed with his head held high.

Silence. The onlookers had journeyed closer to the fighters just in time to hear the mysterious mans words. To say they were shocked was an understatement. They all looked to Sesshomaru but said nothing.

"That damned fool!" Jaken muttered. "Always saying such weird things to my lord."

Kagome looked down at the little imp. "Jaken, do you know something?"

Jaken remained silent for a while but spoke. "That man there is called Ryuuichi of the Amaterasu clan. Not much is known about them but the rumors that _are_ told, tells one not to ask. For some reason, Ryuuichi has taken a liking to my lord and has been following him for weeks. Watching and hugging him when the lord is sleeping." Sesshomaru was clearly as shocked everyone else was.

Kagome turned to Shippo, who sat on her shoulder. "Didn't you say that the scent of blood on Sesshomaru was covered with other smells?" Shippo nodded.

Miroku decide to enter the conversation. "That would explain the scent of blood was on him but not why no one, especially Sesshomaru himself, had noticed the man following so close behind."

"I'd be more concerned to why the guy is following Sesshomaru in the first place!" Inuyasha muttered rather loudly but no one was listening.

Jaken continued. "The Amaterasu clan has a special ability that hides their entire presence. It's so potent that no even the Fuyoheki is a match to it."

Ryuuichi started to laugh and the group turned to him. "Wow, little imp, you sure know a lot about my clan, even though it should be a secret. Now, you must understand that I can't have my clan's skills or my movements known to those who don't need to know. Sesshomaru, my dear, can know since I like him but the rest of you trash?" His whole demeanor changed. Even though he was still smiling, his eyes promised death. "You all have to go to hell now." No one saw it coming when the man called Ryuuichi dashed across the field and attacked the group of demons and humans.


	5. Chapter 5

Everyone split into groups. Miroku grabbed Sango and moved out the way. Kagome grabbed Shippo and ran followed by Kirara. Jaken pulled the rein of Ah-Un and flew into the sky with Rin on its back. This left Sesshomaru's and Inuyasha to fend off Ryuuichi. Both ad their swords drawn and pointed toward the man. His eyes glanced around to where the groups had fled, not really paying attention to the two before.

"Hey, Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha Whispered. Ryuuichi was still distracted "Who is the guy? Why is he following you?" Sesshomaru didn't answer. His eyes were glued to Ryuuichi. Inuyasha glanced toward Sesshomaru.

"Do not take your eyes off of him, Inuyasha." Sesshomaru warned. "He much faster and stranger than anyone you or I have ever fought, so you must remain vigilant."

"I can take this guy. " Inuyasha replied, his bravado escalating. "I've fought bigger thing and tougher things that is stalker guy."

"You, who can't even defeat me, assumes that you could even hurt this man? The same man that pinned me to a tree." Sesshomaru growled. Inuyasha was more surprised that his brother had even admitted to any weakness than the fact he was pinned by someone.

"Well, at least you know how I feel." Inuyasha joked. "Try being pinned to a tree for 50 years. That ain't a cake walk, I'll tell you that. But I guess even the big bad Sesshomaru is pinnable." Sesshomaru's teeth clenched as he seethed with ager at. There was nothing more fun than getting a rise out of a person, especially if that person was Sesshomaru.

The real surprise was that he got angry at all. Sesshomaru usually was so calm and collected that it pissed Inuyasha off. But today he stood beside him with an almost scared expression on his face. To any other person, he would look exactly the same but Inuyasha had learned that the individual ticks a person presented determined how they felt.

"Hey!" Ryuuichi shouted. The two brothers nearly jumped out of their skins. Ryuuichi looked so mad; he'd kill someone for looking his way. "Why are you talking to my Sesshomaru so casually? I won't allow that, you little mongrel." He turned to Sesshomaru and his expression changed from pure rage to innocent adoration. "Babe, I'm sorry that you have to wait for me but just give me a minute to kill this guy off. After that we'll go off and fulfill that promise I made to you." He blew the now pale Sesshomaru a kiss and turned to Inuyasha. With no more words, Ryuuichi dashed toward Inuyasha. With no weapon in hand, Inuyasha figured he could just block it with his sword and watch as the man's hand was sliced off.

"Heh, you're really going to attack me with your bare hands? Get ready to be-" Inuyasha rant was cut short when he felt the force behind Ryuuichi's strike. Despite his hand slamming down on the Tetsuiga's blade, his hands came out without a scratch.

"Hello, I'm a demon, not some weakass half demon like you." He sneered, lifting his hand to strike Inuyasha. Inuyasha looked to the side to see Sesshomaru standing stone still, his face still pale.

"Hey, Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha shouted barely dodging Ryuuichi's attack. Sesshomaru slowly turned his head. "What are you doing? You're the one who told me not to lose track of this bastard but look at you. Petrified like some scared little rabbit about to be eaten. How pathetic are you!" Ryuuichi began kicking the crap out of Inuyasha at that point.

"How dare you say such things about my honey!" HE snarled, ripping at Inuyasha, who was only barely blocking half of his attacks. This would have continued but just then Sesshomaru came back to his sense and threw a lightning strike in their direction. Ryuuichi was hit but Inuyasha dodged it at the last second.

"What the hell was that? First you stand there like some kind of statue and then you try to kill me?" Inuyasha yelled at the once again composed Sesshomaru. "Were you trying to kill me just then?"

"I could only hope that it would actually hit you." Sesshomaru muttered, showing a ghost of a smile. Inuyasha turned his head away but hidden from his brothers view was a smile as well. They had shared a moment where they hadn't tried to kill one another. Like real Brothers. It felt kind of Good, Inuyasha thought.

And fortunately the moment died when Ryuuichi appeared at Sesshomaru's back. With one hand, he knocked Sesshomaru's sword out of his hand and twisted the arm behind his back. The other grabbed Sesshomaru's long hair and pulled his head back. Then he did something that surprised Inuyasha.

He kissed him. IT was a forceful kiss that ended with Sesshomaru biting his lip. Ryuuichi jerked his head away, smirking. Since his arm was useless at the moment, Sesshomaru tried to bite Ryuuichi but stopped when he felt Ryuuichi's clawed fingers digging into his neck.

"You really are so cute, honey" Ryuuichi whispered in his ears. Sesshomaru tried his best to ignore the shiver of arousal that swept through him. "I love how defiant and stubborn you are. It just makes me look forward to the day you submit to me. However," All of a sudden, Ryuuichi's expression changed from teasing to serious. "Despite my previous words, if you try to kill me, like you just did, I will have to kill you. I definitely want you alive since I need you for various reasons but cause trouble for me and I will end you." Sesshomaru cringed at the remorseless tone he spoke in. It was the same way he spoke to so many others. It was weird to be on the opposite end of that tone. Especially when the person meant it. "I could just tear you sweet little throat out with a flick of my finger." Ryuuichi teased, tapping his finger against Sesshomaru's rapidly thumping vein. "Your blood would taste so sweet on my tongue, as would other things." Ryuuichi's mouth clamped onto Sesshomaru's neck, sucking at his skin and licking the soreness away, over and over again. Sesshomaru just stood there; face flushed and groaning as his enemies tongue made his blood boil.

"Ah… s-stop, that…I can't…" Sesshomaru was having hard time focusing on his thoughts. The hand that held his single arm behind his back relaxed and moved to caress his butt. Sesshomaru jumped at the contact. His other hand slid down his throat, over his chest and into his robe to caress Sesshomaru's nipples. This made Sesshomaru cry out. His breath came out in pants and his body was on fire. Ryuuichi, who was enjoying himself, however, stopped as soon as he heard a bird call. Inuyasha, who had been too shocked and hurt to moved, looked up. A bright red bird, who looked to be made of pure fire, circle the field like a vulture. Ryuuichi snorted.

"Damn, Onee-chan, cutting my time short with my honey." Ryuuichi looked down at the trembling Sesshomaru, attempting to catch his breath. "Aw, and you looked so sexy now too." He whined. Out of nowhere, Ryuuichi lifted his hand and struck Sesshomaru on the back of the neck, knocking him out cold. As he fell to the ground with like a boneless sack, Inuyasha called out to him. With one last glare at Inuyasha, Ryuuichi turned and disappeared in a flash of light.


	6. Chapter 6

Sesshomaru woke up in a daze. Not only did he have no clue where he was or how he'd managed to fall asleep so deeply but there were voices all around him.

"So this Ryuuichi guy has been following Sesshomaru around for a week and you didn't even tell him?" An aggravated voice shouted. It sounded like Inuyasha but that couldn't be right.

"How could I tell him? More importantly, what would I say?" This time it was Jaken shouting, his voice, shrill to Sesshomaru's ears. "'Oh, by the way, my lord, some man has been following you, embracing you and the like while you sleep.' I had to chase him away once when he tried to strip my lord naked like some common wench." Jaken whined. Sesshomaru sat up and looked toward the sound.

"He did what, Jaken?" Sesshomaru shouted. Well, it was as close to shouting that Sesshomaru could do. It was only said slightly louder than his usual tone. Everyone turned to him. Inuyasha and his companions sat beside Sesshomaru's like they were all friends. Rin got up and ran to Sesshomaru.

"My lord, you're awake!" She cried, embracing him. She pushed her face into the fur that hung over his shoulder. "I thought you might have been hurt. I was so worried."

Sesshomaru said nothing. He had nothing to say. He could barely recall what had happened before. Instead, he put his arm around his ward and held her close to his chest. He looked down at the young girl as she started to relax against him. Assuming she had fallen asleep, Sesshomaru lifted his head to the others around him. He'd honestly forgotten about them.

"It never ceases to amaze me how you treat that young girl, lord Sesshomaru." The monk commented. Sesshomaru glared at the man.

"That is none of your concern, monk. Mind it." He warned. He turned to his servant. "Jaken, explain to me why I'm here." The little imp flinched under his master's glare but Sesshomaru didn't care anymore. He never really did.

"Well, my lord, you and Inuyasha tried to fight Ryuuichi." Jaken stated, watching his master freeze at the man's name. "My lord fought valiantly but-"

"Valiantly?" Inuyasha interrupted, sarcasm dripping off his words excessively. "This guy froze up. Twice! Plus, I was the one fighting. That red haired bastard only had to say a few words and Sesshomaru here would just stand there as I fought." Everyone looked at the one in question.

Sesshomaru said nothing. There was nothing to say. All of what his brother had said was completely true. Jaken started to shout out defenses for him. It was appreciated but unnecessary at this point. It shamed him to say it but he did so anyway.

"Jaken!" Sesshomaru interjected. The imp stopped to look at his master. "Inuyasha?" Sesshomaru addressed his silver haired little brother. Inuyasha still looked pissed but turned to Sesshomaru as well. "You are correct. I was weak in this battle." These words were a surprise to everyone. It burned in Sesshomaru's mouth like fire. To relieve himself of that pain he added. "There is nothing worse than having to rely on some weak half breed like you." Inuyasha stilled. "Plus, imagine I was carried here by you right?" Everyone nodded. Sesshomaru made his I'm-disgusted-but-still-dignified expression. "That means I must smell like you. How terrible. I smell like my lowly half demon brother." Sesshomaru was very satisfied with the result of his quips.

"Oh yeah?" Inuyasha barked, rage bubbling off him like smoke. "I didn't enjoy carrying your fat ass here either. You should feel grateful to me. Without me, you would have been killed by that red haired bastard. You should thank me!" This rant continued even as his priestess friend tried to calm down. As those two argued, Sesshomaru looked around.

To be honest, pissing Inuyasha off was sometimes fun. It was fun to make people angry, to see how other react to things. Sometimes it backfired but it never failed to work with Inuyasha. He was easy. It was one of those things he'd never understood before he'd met Rin. When you're as serious as Sesshomaru, you need something interesting now and gain, to entertain you.

"Uh, lord Sesshomaru?" Sesshomaru turned to see the demon slayer woman speak.

"What is it?" he replied, trying to be polite. Normally, he'd never do that but he did owe them, at the very least, his attention.

"Inuyasha told us what happened after we all split up. About you and this Ryuuichi man." She started. Sesshomaru said nothing. "Plus, with what he said about you being his. I was wondering… what is your relationship with this man?" Everyone was silent, waiting to hear what Sesshomaru would say.

"He's nothing to me." He responded, again looking away.

"He, not only, claimed you to be his possession but he kissed you, Sesshomaru." Inuyasha argued. "Everyone else might have missed it but you guys were doing some weird things. Right after he kicked my ass, he ran up behind you, locked your arm behind your back and star-"

"Stop!" Sesshomaru commanded his face red. He didn't need Inuyasha to retell the story. Sesshomaru remembered every detail. Every kiss, every touch was burned into Sesshomaru's mind. It still set his blood on fire. Everyone's eyes were on him.

"Why don't you tell us how this all started? How did you meet Ryuuichi?" The priestess urged, earning a glare from Sesshomaru. She glared back. "Well, we're all involved now, so you might as well tell us everything." The girl retorted. Sesshomaru knew she had a point so he conceded.

"I met him several days ago. Rin found him lying on the floor of the forest and called me." He started. He recited the tale, cutting off the sexual parts and his feeling toward those sexual acts out of the story. By the end of his story, the group's comments were flowing.

"So in a battle of strength, you lost? We must be careful of this man." The monk stated, obviously thinking of some way to defeat Ryuuichi.

"I don't understand this man. Why go after you? Did he want something from you?" the demon slayer asked, still eating her meal.

"I can't believe this guy likes you at all. Your personality sucks. You're arrogant, selfish and a pain in the ass." From Inuyasha.

"That's the pot calling the kettle black, Inuyasha." The priestess claimed, pulling on Inuyasha ear. The two soon started argue over the point. The monk and the demon slayer held their head down close together, talking over something. The little fox demon was curled in ball, sleeping peacefully.

The group, despite their differences, got along well. They were… interesting to watch. Sesshomaru nearly smiled as he watched them.

"Lord Sesshomaru?" The monk interrupted his thought. He turned his gaze to the human. From the look on his face, he'd figured something out. "You said that Ryuuichi had said something strange to you before, right? You said he wanted some information from you?" Sesshomaru thought back.

"…I should ask you what I need to know." Ryuuichi had asked the day they had first met

"And, he didn't kill that today when you attacked him. Not only because he likes you but he needed you." The monk continued. A memory from today came up.

"I definitely need you alive, since I need you for various reasons…" These words were growled into Sesshomaru's ear as Ryuuichi held him, threatening to kill him if he fought. Sesshomaru hadn't noticed before but he didn't think Ryuuichi meant sex when he referred to those 'various reasons'. So it begged the question, what did Ryuuichi really want besides Sesshomaru's body?

"My lord?" a quiet voice quavered. Sesshomaru looked down to the child lying down on his lap. It was Rin who had spoken.

"What is it, Rin?" Sesshomaru asked. He had wanted to think about Ryuuichi's motives but Rin was important to him, so he waited for her to response.

"I'm sorry, Lord Sesshomaru." She squeaked. She seemed scared for some reason. This confused him.

"What's wrong, Rin." The priestess asked before he could. Rin looked up at Sesshomaru with a guilty look on her face.

"I'm sorry, my lord. I lied to you!" She cried. "It's all my fault. I lied to my lord. L-lord Ryuuichi… I met him before!" she confessed


	7. Chapter 7

The group sat there, stupefied by the young girls confession. Rin sat in her master's lap, burying her face in his fur.

"Rin." Sesshomaru unintentionally growled. The young girl flinched in his arms, but at this point Sesshomaru no longer cared. Rin had hidden important information from him for this long. Information that could have helped a week ago. "Tell me what happened. Now"

Rin shivered but still hid in the fur. She looked up to see her lords quiet rage burn in his eyes. Rin knew lord Sesshomaru would be mad but she hadn't expected this. She tried to move away but Sesshomaru's hand stilled her. She wasn't going anywhere.

"Oi, Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha called. Sesshomaru turned his glare to his half brother. Inuyasha didn't even blink an eye. "You're scaring the poor girl. If you want her to talk, stop glaring like some kind of rabid dog."

Sesshomaru's eye twitched as he suppressed the urge to attack the half breed before him. Inuyasha was right. He knew it but it still burned. How could Rin, his precious ward, keep something like this from him? It was like a father being lied to by his dear daughter.

Sesshomaru looked down at Rin. She looked scared. That hurt even more than her lies. He never wanted to hurt or scare Rin. He swore not to. Sesshomaru took a deep breath and relaxed his muscles, lest he attack the smirking half demon 5 feet from him.

"Rin." He repeated, much more softly. She looked surprised. "Will you tell me what happened the day you met Ryuuichi?" Sesshomaru had to try really hard to suppress the shiver that ran through him as he recalled the deep timber of Ryuuichi's voice when he whispered in his ear. The heat caused by his rough hands.

"My lord, why are you closing your eyes?" Rin asked softly. Sesshomaru hadn't even noticed his eyes were closed. He shook his head to clear it. Still he could almost feel Ryuuichi's breath on his skin. "And why is your face red?" Sesshomaru flinched.

"N-never mind that. Your story?" Sesshomaru insisted. Rin looked a lot less nervous and was willing to tell her story now. She could have but Inuyasha had to interrupt.

"I kinda want to know what your blushing about too, Sesshomaru." Inuyasha was smiling again. The little runt was having fun! "I wonder if you're thinking about Ryuuichi in a different way than before." He pondered aloud.

Sesshomaru really wanted to hit him just then. Preferably until he was no longer breathing. Sesshomaru now understood why siblings nearly kill each as children. Little brothers, even half brothers like Inuyasha, really got annoying. Like a persistent insect.

The one good thing is that the priestess, that weird human, decided to help Sesshomaru out and played out Inuyasha's punishment. It started with her saying 'sit boy' and his brother slammed an inch into the ground. The little priestess demanded that Inuyasha stopped teasing Sesshomaru and Sesshomaru wished she would do that again. He got his wish when Inuyasha refused to concede. So for a couple minutes, Sesshomaru watched as his little brother go deeper and deeper into the ground. It felt really good.

"Ignoring those two, we should get on with Rin's story. Right, My Lord?" The monk asked ignoring his companion's argument. Sesshomaru nodded his head in agreement. They still had to figure out what Ryuuichi wanted from him. But from the corner of his eye, Sesshomaru watched Inuyasha twitch in pain. It was surprisingly satisfying.

"I met lord Ryuuichi a week ago." Rin started. "About two days before I found him in the forest. Do you remember the story I was telling you and master Jaken?" Sesshomaru thought back to the day he met Ryuuichi. That day, Rin was talking about some fruit or other. He nodded. "Well, I… it was because of that fruit that I met him."

"Explain to me what happened from the beginning, Rin." Sesshomaru requested. He would a have ordered her but she was still a little on edge. Rin turned her gaze to look at everyone. When she turned her gaze to Sesshomaru she had tears in her eyes.

"I didn't want lord Sesshomaru to be hurt or anything." She sobbed. "I just didn't want to bother you, my lord. Im sorry!"

_Nine days before_

Rin was by herself again. Lord Sesshomaru told her to get her own food since she needed to learn how to survive by herself. Well, she wasn't completely by herself. Ah-un was a couple feet away from her, taking a nap in the shade. Rin could reach him easily and fly away from any danger.

Rin stood by the river, looking for some fish to catch when she heard a _plunk_. She looked around but saw nothing. She did, however, feel something brush her leg. She looked down and saw a ball like fruit she had never seen before.

It was blue and pink. The colors swirled together like water and light. It was a pretty sight to see. It was big too. It was master Jaken's size. Pushing the fruit to shore with her legs to keep her kimono from getting wet, Rin stopped to pick it up on shore. It was surprisingly light, considering its size. She couldn't eat it now though. She had planned to take it back to Ah-un so that they could tell her what she should do.

Except she ended up tripping and the fruit flew out of her hands. The fall was painless but the sound of the fruit hitting the ground was not. It landed with a loud thud. When she looked up, she saw that the fruit had done something weird. As Rin got up and walked over to it, she saw that it was now open. Not open like a cracked fruit. No, it was like someone had cut it open and peeled back the skin. Inside there were several tinier blubs. They glistened in the sun light.

Normally she would have continued on her journey to Ah-un but she sat down in front of the fruits and reached for one blub. She wasn't hungry but something compelled her to eat it.

The first taste was mind blowing. It was sweeter than anything she'd ever tasted. She ate each and everyone and each tasted different. The second one was sour. The third mild in taste. The fourth was cold and made steam pour from her lips. The fifth was warm on her tongue. Rin hadn't even noticed she had finished until she caught herself licking the husk of the fruit.

She blushed. How could she have eaten it all? The fruit was delicious but she should have saved some for master Jaken and lord Sesshomaru. She got up, picked up the husk and ran to where a cliff formed around the river. She dug a hole, put the husk into hole and buried it. She couldn't find any seeds so this was the best she could do.

"Ryuuichi!" A female voice shouted from above. Rin pressed close to the wall, hoping she the woman hadn't see her. She didn't see the woman but she knew she wasn't human. No human growled like that when they were mad.

"What is it, Ane-chan?" Another voice drawled. It was male and bored. Rin looked up and saw a flash of red.

"Where is the fruit I put in here?" she asked, obviously on edge.

"How should I know?" he countered, sitting on the edge of the cliff above Rin. She could see the bottom of his bare feet and the folds in his black hakama.

"You were supposed to be guarding them, you idiot!" the woman scolded, walking to the edge of the cliff beside her little brother. Her hair was light blue. She wore clothing similar to lord Sesshomaru but without the fur.

"Guard them?" the male questioned. "They're fruits! What were they going to do? Run?" the man laughed at his own joke.

"Well, I guess that's what happened since we're missing one!"

"Not my problem." He responded.

"Of course it's your problem. It was your job to watch them! You know we need them for the sacrifices." The woman complained.

"You talk way too much, Ane-chan." He muttered. "I really think you should stop yelling since the whole sacrifices thing is supposed to be a secret."

"Who says I'm telling anyone our secrets?" She asked loudly.

"Your echo." He countered. The two were silent but the woman's voice did indeed echo across the empty stream and meadow. The girl stomped her foot and walked away. The man just sat there, kicking his feet.

Rin figured it was definitely time to go. She tried to walk quietly away. "Oi, little human girl!" the man called out. Rin flinched. "Yeah, you, where do you think you going after listening in on our conversation?" Rin turned around and saw the man, with his gray eyes and blazing red hair staring at her. She jumped back but the man grabbed her hand in his fingers. He swiped his thumb against the palm of her hand and sniffed it.

"Ane-chan!" the man called out to woman. She walked up and sneered at poor Rin, her fangs glinting in the sunlight. "I think I found our first sacrifice. Seems like she ate the fruit." He turned his gaze to Rin. "Where is the husk? You should have eaten the stuff inside but not the husk. Where did you hide it." He asked.

Rin kept her eyes on the man. If they wanted the husk of the fruit but couldn't find it that may prolong her life. The man was currently kneeling on the pile of dirt that hid the fruits shell. So as long as they had no clue where it was, she would remain alive longer.

"She's not going to tell you, Ryuuichi." The woman remarked. She had her back to her. "Why not just kill her now and be done with it. Humans are so annoyingly stubborn!"

The man sighed and let go of Rin's hand. He got up to his full height. Rin had to keep her voice down as she squeked. The man was really tall. Almost as tall as lord Sesshomaru. Maybe taller. He turned his back on her.

"Ane-chan, you're an idiot." He stated gaining his sisters glare. "Kill her before the ceremony? What would Ane-ue and Ani-ue say if we told them you killed their sacrifice before it was time? They'd kill you, bring you back then kill you again, Baka Ane-chan!"

The woman growled and attacked her brother. As the two fought, Rin took her chance to run. The two didn't notice her even as she neared the forest. As soon as Ah-un saw her, it got up and readied itself to fly. Rin wasted no time grabbing the dragon's reins and jumping onto its back. Ah-un lifted off the ground and flew back to lord Sesshomaru and master Jaken.

Rin, still holding the reins, collapsed on the dragons back. She was so glad to have escape just then. But she was no idiot. She knew exactly what had just happened. That man, the one called Ryuuichi had let her go purposely. The question was why.

End of chapter 7

Authors note

I was going to make this chapter longer but it seemed unnecessary. Also, for those who are wondering why i changed onee-chan to Ane-chan. i looked it up and it said that onee-chan addresses someone in another persons family so i changed it. the -ue honorific is from another Inuyasha fan fiction i'm reading. i think it suited this family better.

-ue = means "above", and denotes a high level of respect.

Ani- older brother

Ane- older sister


	8. Chapter 8

Everyone sat by, watching the young girl as she told her tale. Sesshomaru suppressed the need to shake the young girl sitting in his lap for more information. He loved Rin but he wanted to know more about Ryuuichi's intentions.

"You said that Ryuuichi needs you as a sacrifice, right, Rin?" The monk asked, sitting a little closer.

Rin nodded. "He and the lady said so. That's why I ran." The monk though about his.

"So tell us what happened next?" Kagome asked, sitting next to the now standing Inuyasha. Rin closed her eyes, trying to remember.

"I rode on Ah-Un until I found Lord Sesshomaru and master Jaken." She said, looking up at Sesshomaru like he should say something. He did.

"Why didn't you tell me, Rin?" he asked, clenching his teeth. He wasn't sure what the story would tell but so far it wasn't to his liking.

"I tried to, my lord." She insisted, pressing her cheek to his chest. "The day lord Ryuuichi came back. I was trying to tell you and master Jaken but…" she stopped looking away.

"Rin." Sesshomaru said tightly. The girl flinched at the tone and Sesshomaru immediately regretted it. In a gentler tone, he asked. "Will you finish your story, Rin?" She nodded, looking back at Inuyasha's group.

"It was really strange but as soon as I thought about the fruit, I got dizzy and I couldn't focus…" Her voice started to drag on until she fell backwards and nearly hit the ground. Sesshomaru caught just before her head hit the hard dirt.

"Rin!" Sesshomaru barked holding her unconscious body. She was limp in his arms. "Rin! Wake up, Rin!" Everyone jumped up to crowd her. Sesshomaru resisted the urge to shield her from their view. Just barely.

"Let me see her." The priestess insisted. Sesshomaru growled at her. Inuyasha was about to butt in Kagome stopped him. She turned to glare at Sesshomaru. "Look, Im not going to hurt her, I just want to see her. I know something about health."

The two stared at one another for what felt like hours. After that painstaking stare down, Sesshomaru reluctantly relinquished the child to the strangely dressed priestess. The woman held her gently, which saved her from being attacked by the over protective Sesshomaru.

"Well?" he pried, not caring if his concern showed. This was his precious Rin. Pride took a back seat just then. The priestess smiled.

"She's fine." She said, brushing her hair from her face. "She's a little hot but she should be fine by tomorrow."

Sesshomaru actually sighed with relief. Rin was alright. But that didn't end the problems at hand. She had passed out as soon as she tried to recall things about the fruit. Why she didn't pass out sooner, was probably because she held on to him so tightly as she told her story.

Sesshomaru stood up and turned to walk away.

"My lord, where are you going?" Jaken screeched, standing up. Sesshomaru didn't feel like talking to him and he didn't. When the imp moved to follow, Sesshomaru turned to glare at his servant.

"Don't follow me, Jaken." He ordered, rendering the imp immobile. "I will be back. Until then stay here and watch Rin." Sesshomaru started to walk again.

"Lord Sesshomaru? Wait! " the monk called to Sesshomaru's retreating back. He didn't turn to him but he did stop to listen. "Don't you wonder why, despite all of the chances he had to take Rin, he's only gone after you?" the monk asked. It was a good question, despite that. Sesshomaru growled.

"I don't care about that!" he growled staring down at his sleeping ward in the priestesses arms. She looked so small and helpless there. There was no way Sesshomaru would let anyone hurt her. "Ryuuichi intends to kill Rin and I won't let that happen." Without another word, he walked through the forest, wanting to hurt Ryuuichi just then.

Ryuuichi, the one who set his blood on fire, wanted his precious wards life. He wanted to hurt her. He would not allow anyone to do that. Just because Sesshomaru was helpless against the man's sexual aura, didn't mean he wouldn't try his best to kill the man before he even got near Rin again.

Sesshomaru saw that he was pretty far from the group. The night was clear and the half moon greeted him as he looked up. The wind blew, bringing with it the smell of night and…

"Inuyasha." Sesshomaru said, turning around to look into the shadows. Out of those shadows, Inuyasha stepped out. He casually leaned against a tree, watching Sesshomaru with a bored expression on his face.

"How long did you know I was here?" he asked.

"How long did you think you could follow me without me realizing it?" Sesshomaru retorted. He was not in the mood for banter with this runt. He had to go and take care of Ryuuichi.

"Well, I can't say I expected you to just leave this alone." Inuyasha replied, pushing off the tree. "I know what you're planning on doing, Sesshomaru, and Im here to tell you that you can't."

Sesshomaru's hackles rose. Was Inuyasha, his weaker half breed brother, telling him he couldn't do something as simple as kill a man? Did he want to die too? Sesshomaru's teeth clenched but he hid it well behind a mask of in difference.

"I think your underestimating me, brother." Sesshomaru said turning away. "Im not weak or pathetic like you. I can and will kill him." He insisted. He started to walk away but Inuyasha grabbed his arm. Sesshomaru turned and growled at him.

"Growl all you want, Sesshomaru, but we both know your just blowing out hot air." He insisted. "You need to calm down and think about this, Sesshomaru." He said. Sesshomaru couldn't believe his ears. Was Inuyasha really telling him this? The hot headed Inuyasha was telling him to cool it. The world must have come to an end while Sesshomaru was asleep.

"You're kidding me right?" Sesshomaru really hoped he wasn't getting advice from Inuyasha. Because that would kill him.

"We both know you're helpless against that guy." He responded. Sesshomaru flinched. "When we were fighting him, you melted like ice when he touched you. You can't fight him let alone kill him." Sesshomaru couldn't help but blush at the thoughts his brother invoked.

Sesshomaru sighed. Again, for the third time, Sesshomaru had to admit his brother was right. If this kept up, Sesshomaru's pride would die before Rin did.

"What do you suppose I do, then, Inuyasha?" he asked, the words burning his lips. What had he done to deserve asking Inuyasha for advice?

"Come with us." He suggested. "If you're with us, we can both protect you at night and keep an eye out for anything suspicious." This pissed Sesshomaru off again.

"Im not some helpless woman who needs someone to protect them." He argued. Inuyasha looked skeptical and Sesshomaru couldn't blame him. He was helpless when it came to Ryuuichi. It was an undeniable fact that desired the red haired man and knew wouldn't be able to resist him if they met again.

"So?" Inuyasha asked, looking at Sesshomaru with an impatient expression. Sesshomaru really didn't like this. He didn't want someone to protect him. He wished he could say he didn't need anyone to do him any favors. But he couldn't. He sighed long and hard.

"Fine." He growled, refusing to show his embarrassment over the unpleasant situation he was in. "I agree with your terms."

End of chapter 8


	9. Chapter 9

Ryuuichi hated to be three things. Pissed off, bothered and horny. At this moment, he was all three. Damn his Ane-chan. The bitch could really be annoying. Always with the interruptions. He had his cute Sesshomaru in his arms, practically begging for Ryuuichi's touch then his stupid Ane-chan had to call him. It really got old sometimes.

Ryuuichi walked into his clan's hidden castle with ease. Any other creature would burst into flames coming in contact with his family's barrier but to him, it was just a warm tickle. He walked through the large gates and the servants, only to be greeted by his Ane-chan.

"Where the hell have you been, Ryuuichi?" she demanded, stomping her foot. Her light blue hair seemed to be as pissed off as she appeared to be since it floated like mist around her. Her Tsukiko (Ane-chan) was pretty but killed it because she was perpetually enraged. Her red eyes glowed when she was mad, so they always glowed. She wore a hakama similar to his dearest Sesshomaru but he looked so much hotter in it. Hers was white but had these weird red and black splotches on it. He'd asked before if it was blood but she just smiled.

"Oh, well, it's nice to see you to, Ane-chan." He replied, sarcasm dripping off his words. "Here I am, after a long week of fixing your mistake and this is how you greet me? For shame, Ane-chan." He teased, reveling in the rage on her face. He started to walk past her but she held her arm out.

"My mistake? It was you who let our sacrifice go. "She accused, prowling closer. Ryuuichi didn't step back even as the servants around them did. She continued. "It was you who let the fruit fall into that human girl's hands.

"It was you-"He interrupted, holding up a finger as he raised his point. "-who asked her little brother to do your job for you. It is you, dear Ane-chan, who is at fault." He countered, showing his smirk to her. The desired effect happened.

Her teeth clenched tight, Rage formed an aura around her. He skin turned paler and her eyes burned black. She was so mad, she was about to reveal her demon form. Ryuuichi had expected as much. Tsukiko was a hot head to say the least. He was about to pull out his weapon to subdue her when a voice rang out from behind him.

"What is going on out here!" it demanded. Everyone froze and turned toward the voice. Ryuuichi didn't need to turn his head at all. If the voice was enough of a clue, the way everyone around them bowed low and practically groveled was clue enough.

"Ane-ue." He greeted, turning to his eldest sister. Unlike her younger sister, Rei (Ane-ue) was a calm and beautiful demon. Her long black hair trailed behind her. Her eyes were closed as long lashes caressed her pale cheeks. Her kimono was so fancy, she looked like a princess, which she was. Despite her doll like appearance, she inspired fear in all who looked upon her.

Even Tsukiko, slightly distant from reality, calmed down. She bowed as well. "A-Ane-ue." She muttered. Ryuuichi looked around and saw he was the only one with his nose above the dirt. He didn't plan on starting any time soon.

"Ane-ue, it's good to see you." He said, smiling. She turned her head to him. Though she couldn't see, she knew he was smiling at her. "Youre still a vision of freedom and mutual agreements, I see." He teased, stepping behind her.

"Don't try and quell my anger with jokes, Ryuuichi." She warned, powered radiating from her small form. She was only a foot or so shorter than him. "You are the one who provoked Tsukiko."

"Yeah, that's right!" The one in question chimed in, gaining some confidence. "You should punish him, Ane-"she stopped she felt Rei's narrowed glare on her. She lowered her head again.

"I did." He admitted. He shrugged. "It couldn't be helped. She insisted on making me shoulder her mistakes. I had to point it out to her, dear Ane-ue."

Rei turned to Tsukiko. "Is that true?" she asked. Though her voice was soft, her tone was stern. Tsukiko sputtered for a minute then glared at Ryuuichi. He smirked at her from over Rei's shoulder. She hissed at him. "Answer me and ignore Ryuuichi!" Rei bit out, earning a shiver from Tsukiko.

Ryuuichi walked through the door, hearing Rei lecture Tsukiko harshly. It was good to be the youngest sometimes.

He walked down the wide hallway, ignoring all of the servants who bowed as he walked by. He had a meeting to go to. When he reached the end of the hall, there stood large wooden doors. These two were the only ones inside of the castle that didn't slide open. In front of the doors, two demons stood guard. Both looked fierce enough to scare most people away but there was no way Ogres were going to scare him.

"Move." He commanded. The two, with no hesitation, moved aside to let him in and pushed the doors open for him. The room was pitch black, save for the light from outside the room. As soon as he was inside, they shut the doors, cutting off all the light that spilled in. The room was dark but he didn't have to see in order to get to where he was going Ryuuichi walked closer.

"Stop." A voice commanded. The tone was soft and male but demanded obedience. Ryuuichi obeyed. "Who are you?" the voice asked. Ryuuichi sat down on his knees and bowed before the darkness.

"It is I, Ani-ue, Ryuuichi, your younger brother." He said, very politely. He raised his head but kept his eyes to the ground. He knew what was to happen next.

"Ah, so you have come, have you, little brother?" He said. All of a sudden the room burst with light. Had Ryuuichi raised his eyes, he'd been temporarily blinded. Since he wasn't, he saw his brother's attack and was able to block it with little difficulty.

"Do you have do this every time I come home, Ane-ue?" He asked, simply annoyed. His brother smiled. His brother, Takuma, was very handsome. His hair, snow white, was pulled into a ponytail. He wore only a plain commoner Yukata. Why, Ryuuichi could only guess. The guy didn't make sense.

"Ryuuichi, how has your mission been going?" he asked, without answering his question. That was just like him. Ryuuichi sighed and relaxed.

"I've found the girl but she's hard to catch alone." He lied. He could have caught her a million times already. The girl had as much sense of self preservation as a suicidal soldier. She was almost always alone. He should have been back a week ago. But he'd met Sesshomaru.

Ryuuichi sighed. His Sesshomaru was gorgeous. Not at all like a woman but so cute like one. He always said no but as soon as he touched the pale haired demon, he melted in his arms. He looked so handsome asleep. If not for that stupid imp, Ryuuichi would have ravished the sexy man already. How dare the little imp get between him and his mate?

Ryuuichi had decided this a while ago but Sesshomaru was going to be his mate. If he said no, Ryuuichi would just have to kidnap him. If he ran, some legs might have to be broken. Things had to be done. No demon worth their salt lets their mate run. It was unheard of.

"Ryuuichi." Takuma said, gaining Ryuuichi's attention once more. "Don't lie to me. Get the girl and whoever it is that is distracting you and bring them here. I don't care about your excuses, Just stop wasting time. The ceremony day is coming." With everything he wanted to say said, Takuma turned. As soon as his back was turned, darkness enveloped the room. Silence was Takuma's companion and a sign that anyone else in the room was to leave.

"Yes, Ani-ue." He replied, his head bowed. There was such thing as a no when answering to his brother's command. As the oldest, Takuma was in charge. Ryuuichi turned to leave. When he went through the doors and walked down the hall, all he could say was this.

"I really hate my family."

End of chapter 9

Authors note

Ryuuichis' family is made up of his siblings right now. the eldest is Takuma (whit hair and blue eyes). Second is Rei, who is blind (black hair and pale white eyes). Next is Tsukiko (light blue hair and red eyes). and lastly is Ryuuichi, the youngest. (red hair and grey eyes). this is for those who are confused as to who these people are or have any questions as to these characters position. that is all. thank you for reading.


	10. Chapter 10

Sesshomaru sat back and watched Inuyasha and his friends. He'd spent about a week with them. And in that week, no sign of Ryuuichi. Rin was happy to have someone to play with and Jaken seemed to have found a kindred spirit in the lecherous monk.

What scared him the most is the change he saw in the priestess. Before, she was wary with him, scared of him, even. Now, she treated him like she did anyone else. She had the gall to berate him over some of her 'ninja food' that Sesshomaru had taken for himself. Him, the prince of the western lands!

She had snatched the strange container from him and scolded him like he was a child. Sesshomaru really wanted to rip the finger off but to do so would be rude. And despite his annoyance, he did owe Inuyasha (he nearly gagged on the thought alone) so to kill and melt his woman's body was not a good way to repay him.

One incident, the incident happening at this moment, was what was tempting him to kill her. Her insistence made him really want to kick her off the cliff they stood beside.

"No." He said for the hundredth time. Never had he had to say no so many times in response to the same question.

"But Sesshomaru! It would be easy for you." She insisted, blocking him at every turn. Sesshomaru eyed the edge of the cliff. One push, that's all it would take. The temptation was almost too much.

"What's going on?" The monk asked, followed by Jaken. Sesshomaru had taken it upon himself to walk ahead, mostly because he hated how well his companions were getting along with Inuyasha's. Not that he'd ever admit it.

"Sesshomaru is being stingy!" The woman cried. When she had went from calling him lord Sesshomaru to just Sesshomaru, he had no clue. The woman got friendly fast. Moreover, no one ever called him stingy. Or insulted him!

"How so?" The demon slayer asked, holding Rin's hand. Rin beamed up at the woman before turning her gaze to Sesshomaru. If the admiration in her eyes had dimmed somewhat, Sesshomaru hadn't noticed. Nor was he annoyed by that. At all.

The priestess pointed to the other side of the ravine the stood by. They needed to get to the other side and there were no bridges nearby so they needed to fly over the gap. Whereas the problem has come up.

"We need to get to other side and I want to ride with Sesshomaru on his fluffy thing!" She shouted indignantly. She was pouting, glaring at Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru resisted the urge to roll his eyes. She somehow brought that urge out of him.

"Really? That's what your whining about, Kagome!" Inuyasha shouted, stomping over to her. He stood nose to her. "You have me and Kirara. Why not ride with us?" he demanded.

"I said the same thing." Sesshomaru said, not sure why he added that. He felt that if he didn't say something then, he'd never get a word in. Everyone save for the priestess and Inuyasha shared his confusion.

"Are you kidding me?" the woman cried, seeming to ignore Sesshomaru's words. Another reason to want to fling her over the edge. "A ride on your back is torture on my back and legs. Kirara is much better but Miroku and Sango are riding her."

"Then ride Ah-un." Inuyasha suggested, pointing to the two head beast nest to the cat demon called Kirara. Again, Sesshomaru spoke.

"I said that too." Again, he was ignored.

"Ah-un is going to be carrying Rin-chan, Shippo and Jaken." She retorted, crossing her arms across her chest. Sesshomaru felt like flinging his hands up in surrender. How many times had he tried to get between these two when they argue this week? And how many times had he been ignored. They even had the gall to talk about his beast like it was already theirs.

"Other than you and Sesshomaru, everyone is who can carry me is taken." She continued without missing a beat. "And between the two of you, I prefer Sesshomaru. He will do it too."

_It's almost like I have no say in this._ Sesshomaru thought, shaking his head. Giving up on convincing this stubborn woman, he used his fur to lift himself off the ground. No sooner had he left the ground when he felt himself get heavier. He looked down to see the priestess holding his fluff.

"Where are you going?" she demanded. "I need a ride."

"I already told you no." he said; ready to snatch the fluff from her. There was no way he was going to have a tug of war with this human girl.

"But why?" she asked, for the hundred and first time. "I've seen you carry Jaken with you."

"Jaken is the size of a small boulder." He snarled, annoyed. "Your weight is that of a boulder."

Silence ensued. To be honest, that was the first time he'd insulted a woman that way. Her silence was both concerning and a relief. She glared at him then turned away, crossing her arms across her chest.

"Fine." She snapped, making Sesshomaru want to move away. What the hell was this feeling of wariness? "'I don't care. It's not like you owe me or anything. I mean, who cared for Rin-chan when she collapsed? Who treated her wounds?" she turned to him. "It was me, right? But I guess that doesn't mean anything to you, Mr. Prince-sama." She turned away and shrugged her shoulders.

Sesshomaru was still floating there, shocked. This woman… did not pull punches. She honestly was trying to guilt trip Sesshomaru. And it was working! He did owe the woman. It wasn't much but as a prince he was bound to a code of conduct. That code never spoke of humans, especially human commoners but he was duty bound.

With a hateful glare, he let out a breath. "Fine, you may ride with me." He said through gritted teeth. The only one who could piss him off this much was Ryuuichi. And never in this kind of way.

The woman spun around, beaming with triumph. Her victory pricked at Sesshomaru's pride. Oh, how he hated this woman. She ran to him and took a running jump to catch the fluff. He wanted to float just out of her reach, just to watch her fall but he couldn't. He owed her. The words burned so much.

On the ride over, which took much longer than Sesshomaru wanted, the woman spoke. "Sorry for forcing you like this, Sesshomaru." She said, actually sounding sincere. Not that Sesshomaru cared. "I've always wanted to ride on this thing. It's just as soft as I thought it'd be." She cooed, running her over the fur. Sesshomaru said nothing. Deep down, the comment eased the slap his pride had taken.

Later that night, the whole group decided to take a break at a hot springs. Women went first then the men. The monk had tried to take a peek at the women, had even tried to get Sesshomaru to come with, and failed at both. It didn't take long to hear his cry of pain and the lecture from the demon slayer woman as she ripped him apart. The whole event was… amusing. The group was amusing. Everything they did, be it arguments or dinner was… fun to watch. Sesshomaru almost found himself looking forward to them.

He shook his head. He was bathing in a pool by himself. He could hear Inuyasha and the rest of them not far away. Inuyasha was arguing with Jaken and the monk. The little fox tried to be a voice of reason. Sesshomaru closed his eyes, enjoying the sounds. Their argument, the sound of the animals going about their nightly ritual. It was so relaxing. The moon was shining down, like it was watching Sesshomaru.

Opening his eyes, Sesshomaru stared up at the moon. That's when he knew. The moon was the same shade of gray as Ryuuichi's eyes. Or was it the other way around. He growled. Why was his every though circling back to that red haired man! The week without his presence had been heavenly. Sesshomaru could sleep without worrying about that pervert touching him. No longer could he feel eyes following him but one looked at the moon, it came back.

"My lovely Sesshomaru." His voice cooed. Sesshomaru tensed. He knew that wasn't his imagination. He slowly turned to see him, Ryuuichi. His heart started to race.

He didn't look much different than the first time they'd met. Bright red hair with black and white strands mixed in. Dirt covering face but never masking the masculinity of his features. The only difference was his clothes and his eyes. He wore a grand princes robes and his eyes, though still arrogant, had bags under them.

"What are you doing here?" He demanded. Usually, he would never ask that but this Ryuuichi, even if he looked different.

"Ah, you look so sexy with your hair all wet." He sighed, ignoring Sesshomaru's words. "How I want to pull you close and kiss the petty concerns from you mind." He started to walk. Sesshomaru was riveted. Even the way he walked had changed. He not only looked like a prince, he carried himself like one. Who was this man?

Sesshomaru stood and took a step back. He knew he was at a disadvantage. His weapons were too close to Ryuuichi for him to make a grab for them. Ryuuichi would just grab him and push him down and…

Shaking his head, Sesshomaru ignored his now hard cock and glared at Ryuuichi. "What do you want here, Ryuuichi?" he repeated more.

Ryuuichi's gaze was riveted on Sesshomaru's body. He watched how the water dripped down his body, over his erection. "Oh, my Sesshomaru, you are such a seducer." He moaned, licking his lips. "You can't tease me like this. I have business with you and I can't conduct that business if I find myself fucking you blind."

Sesshomaru shivered, imagining such a fate. His body craved it, in fact. It wanted just one more taste of the mystery that was Ryuuichi. Shaking his head to clear those dirty thoughts from his mind. "I won't ask agai-" He wasn't allowed finish. No sooner had he opened his mouth when he found himself nose to nose with Ryuuichi. Gray eyes gazed in gold ones.

There was, strangely, silence.

Then he spoke. "I told you, no seductions, my luscious Sesshomaru." He whispered. "So no talking or moving, okay?" Sesshomaru silence seemed to be all the encouragement he needed. "Anyway, my business is this. Our game of cat and mouse is coming to an end. I really wish we could have continued. I would have loved to corner you and have you beg for my cock… Sorry, I really want to ravish you but I can't right now." He spun around and walked from out of the water. All of a sudden, Sesshomaru was cold without Ryuuichi's warmth. He showed none of this and glared at Ryuuichi's back.

Ryuuichi turned and smiled. "That's what I love to see. My lovely Sesshomaru, the ever fierce mouse."

"Why have you come here?" He said, taking a step forward. This seemed to amuse Ryuuichi. "Besides staking a claim I refuse."

Ryuuichi's smile fell. "You are mine." He said calmly. "And you will, one day admit it. All I wanted to say is that out game is over. We got what we want."

"We?" He repeated, not sure what was being said.

"As I said, our game is over but the game isn't over." He said, walking into the shadows. "You better find your princess before we cut her open."

Sesshomaru stood there. What was he talking about? Who was this 'we'? Who was 'his princess'? Before he could ask another question, he heard someone call his name. Knowing it was a woman and that he was naked, he jumped for his clothes and had himself covered before the Priestess and the fox came, followed by almost everyone else. Where were they just five minutes ago? He thought a bit resentfully.

"What is it?" he demanded, pissed that they hadn't 'protected' him as they said they would.

"Its Rin-chan!" the priestess gasped. Sesshomaru felt his chest seize up. _Please, no._

"She was taken by some woman with blue hair." Inuyasha continued. _No._

"We think she was involved with Ryuuichi." The monk stated. Ryuuichi's words echoed through Sesshomaru head. _No! No one was to take his princess._

_No one was going to take Rin from him again!_

**_End of Chapter 10_**

Author:

I know you've been waitiing for a while and im sorry for that. hopefully, i can update more often now that its summer. If you have any questions or concerns, please give a review. :)


	11. Chapter 11

Ryuuichi was sitting on the floor of his clan's castle next to his sisters. They were in a row, organized from tallest to shortest, him being the tallest and his eldest sister being the shortest. None of them knew why they had been called and none dared speak, because they were in a dark room.

Footsteps alerted them that their head had finally decided to address them. At the same time, they bowed, just in time for the room to light up. They lifted their head and stared up at their elder brother. For once, Takuma actually looked the part of a family head. He looked just as royal as all of them.

Ane-ue was dressed in a stunning moon and cloud designed kimono than complemented her delicate yet beautiful features. Her hair ornaments were shaped like crescent moons and layered with real dragon scales. With her deceitful nature, Ryuuichi didn't really have to guess at how she got those. Most likely, straight from a dragons hide. He almost felt bad for the beast. It was most likely dead.

Ane-chan was dressed in what he supposed royal men wore to war. It wasn't like there was a female version out there in their male oriented land and he supposed his tomboy sister would kill herself before wearing them anyway. The only difference was that her armor wasn't bulky and was adorned with spikes. She looked like a porcupine to Ryuuichi. He thought she had been hoping to stab him at least once with those things. He knew he was right when she kept leaning close to him.

Being the bold one of the family, Ryuuichi decided to speak up. "Ani-ue, we have gathered here under your orders. What do you need of us?" He asked, staring up at his brother. Takuma just stared back and snapped his fingers. With that, the rest of the room was illuminated.

In the far back, a dark mass some would say resembled a tree, called the _Onitsuri_ grew. In the center of the _Onitsuri_ laid a glowing piece of amber. As it pulsated, it slowly grew, seeming to hold something within. At the foot of the _Onitsuri_, roots were wrapped around various humans and demons, draining their energy. One of the roots held a small child, a little girl with long brown hair.

Ryuuichi's hand clenched as he stared at her unconscious body. It wasn't that he felt sorry for her. He didn't. She was needed for their plan. But he knew how much his darling Sesshomaru cared for her. He had watched how the usually stoic man would soften somewhat when she was near. It pained him that by doing as he had always done, he was hurting someone he loved.

"Ryuuichi!" Ryuuichi jumped when he heard his brother shout. That wasn't a good sign. Ani-ue didn't yell. "Are you going to answer my question or not?!" He demanded. Ryuuichi bowed to him. Damn, he hadn't been paying attention. He was lucky he was related to Takuma or else he'd be dead by now.

"I am sorry. My mind was on other matters." He said, honestly. He hoped this was the right choice. Otherwise, he wouldn't live to regret it. Beside him, he heard Tsukiko snickering to herself. Ryuuichi wished his life wasn't in danger just then. Just so he could smack her. Rei, however, seemed to take than into her own hand, if the sounding smack he heard meant anything. He almost smiled.

"Oh, I know you weren't paying attention, Ryuuichi." Takuma said after a long time. The fact he wasn't dead yet made Ryuuichi hopeful. He heard his brother come closer. "I know you were thinking of that demon prince, Sesshomaru. Am I wrong?"

Ryuuichi shook his head. Something about this seemed too weird about this conversation. For one thing, Takuma was smiling. When someone who's supposed to be mad is smiling, everyone involved should be scared. Especially when it was his very unpredictable brother.

The smile grew as Ryuuichi paled. "Then my dear baby brother, I assume he lives even though I told you to kill him." Ryuuichi looked down at his hands but still, his brother spoke on. "You know he will cause trouble for us now that we have his pet human. What's worse, he is followed by that pesky group of demon slayers. If that priestess get too close, all our work will be for naught. Do you understand that!?" He ended, his smile scaring Ryuuichi more than the murderous aura emanating from Takuma.

"They won't get even close to us, Ani-ue-" He tried to speak but was stopped by a raised hand. It was enough.

"No no, I understand, Ryuuichi." Takuma assured. "You care for this man and you'd hate to hurt him. I understand your reluctance. What kind of brother would I be to make you kill your loved one?" Takuma grabbed Ryuuichi's chin and turned his face to his. "So, as a compromise, bring this man you fancy here and feed him to the _Onitsuri_." He ordered. Ryuuichi's head snapped up in disbelief. He wanted to argue but Takuma continued. "Once it's done draining him of his energy, you can have his body. This way, you have him to yourself and he will be out of our hair. You won't even have to kill him yourself. Everyone wins, right?" With that, the room was pitch black. Ryuuichi knew he was alone without even looking.

In the dark. Ryuuichi trembled. There was no way he could do as his brother had instructed. To be drained by the _Onitsuri _was worst than if he'd killed Sesshomaru himself. The pain was everlasting and slow. It was why all the creatures being drained were knocked out. It was the smallest bit of mercy they could manage. Otherwise, the castle would be filled with their pain filled screams.

Ryuuichi let out a breath. No matter what was said. He had only two choices. To give Sesshomaru to the _Onitsuri_ or kill him himself. Ryuuichi's fist clenched. He had to do what he had to do. From behind him, he heard the door open and cover him with light. Briefly, he noted that his palms were bloody from his nails.

"Oi, you made your decision yet, runt?" Tsukiko said from the door, illuminating him. He looked back at her and noted her smirk. Just like her to rub a win in his face, even when the win wasn't hers. Slowly, he stood and turned to walk to her. When they were side by side, he turned his head to her and gave her a toothy grin back.

"You should know better than to poke at me when I'm this pissed." He warned, loving the momentary fear he saw in her eyes. He continued to say. "You're liable to get hurt in the process of my mission." He started walking, only to hear his sister laugh.

"Damn, I miss that." She said. "I forgot how scary you can be when mad. Be sure to paint the battle field red for me, baby bro." She requested, walking down another hall.

Ryuuichi snorted. "Like it's actually going to be a fight." He muttered, walking away.

_End of chapter 10_

_Authors note:_

Sorry about the long wait. the truth is that i had no plan for this chapter. This is what i came up with. i hope you like it.


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